What could be a defining week in the 2025–26 La Liga title race ended with Barcelona taking a four-point lead ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid.
Two weeks ago, the defending Spanish champions surrendered first place to Álvaro Arbeloa’s men after a poor defeat to Girona. Yet consecutive victories over Levante and third-place Villarreal quieted the alarm bells sounding throughout Catalonia.
Yet in the Spanish capital, talk of a crisis once again took center stage. Real Madrid went from leading the league to suffering back-to-back defeats to Osasuna and Getafe to deflate their recent title charge.
The fight for the Spanish crown is far from over, though, and a string of challenging fixtures—especially for Barcelona—on the horizon could add a new chapter to an already back-and-forth La Liga title battle.
Barcelona, Real Madrid’s Next Five La Liga Games
|
Barcelona (64 points) |
Real Madrid (60 points) |
|---|---|
|
Athletic Club (A) – March 8 |
Celta Vigo (A) – March 7 |
|
Sevilla (H) – March 15 |
Elche (H) – March 14 |
|
Rayo Vallecano (H) – March 22 |
Atlético Madrid (H) – March 22 |
|
Atlético Madrid (A) – Apr. 5 |
Mallorca (A) – Apr. 5 |
|
Espanyol (H) – Apr. 12 |
Girona (H) – Apr. 12 |
Barcelona might have gotten past third-place Villarreal, but that was just the first test in a complicated stretch of fixtures coming for the Catalans. On the horizon is a trip to San Mamés, a daunting challenge for any club in Spain despite Athletic Club’s recent decline in form.
Sevilla pose an even larger threat to Flick’s men. They already dismantled Barcelona 4–1 in the reverse fixture, and they get the advantage of facing the reigning Spanish champions after their trip to Newcastle in the Champions League.
Next up are Rayo Vallecano, who have managed some impressive results this season against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. But their recent skid likely leaves the door open for the Catalans to convincingly claim three points ahead of the March international break.
Upon the return to domestic action in April, the reigning La Liga champions are thrown straight back into the fire against Atlético Madrid and Espanyol, two formidable opponents who are more than capable of toppling Flick’s men.
Real Madrid’s next two opponents are Celta Vigo and Elche, two teams that took points off them under former boss Xabi Alonso. On paper, the Spanish giants have more than enough firepower—even without the injured Kylian Mbappé—to get past the two teams … so long as they do not succumb to the same shortcomings that took center stage in the reverse fixtures.
Before Los Blancos can look ahead to the March international break, they first must take on Atlético Madrid. No team has given the 15-time European champions more problems in the last three years than their neighbors, and the pressure will be on Arbeloa to change the narrative in his first Madrid derby in charge.
Following the international window, Real Madrid get to ease back into domestic action with a trip to Mallorca. The relegation-battling side has lost seven of its nine games in 2026.
Girona, the next opponent waiting for Los Blancos, are a much greater threat. The Catalans handed Barcelona only their fourth La Liga defeat in 2025–26, and have a tendency to get up for big matches—no matter where they sit in the standings.
